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Pokemon Mage SU

And now for something I've been wanting to do for a very long time!

Pokemon Mage: The Game

The region of Hoenn is home to many ancient traditions and mysteries, the most prominent being related to the land's three major deities: the land-raiser Groudon, the sea-master Kyogre, and the mysterious sky dragon Rayquaza. The actions and conflicts between these three legendary Pokemon feature strongly in the story of the area's creation; the balance of power between them is widely believed to be linked to the prosperity and peace of everyone that lives in Hoenn. While the traditions of the three deities affect everyone, there are other traditions that impact individuals more. For instance, the bond of a guardian that allows otherwise weaker humans to wield the magic of the Pokemon.

Not everyone is capable of bonding with a guardian. Those who want to try are given tests early in their adolescence; one test is never enough to find a child's true potential for magic, as there are many different factors involved. Hereditary powers have sometimes been identified, as some families seem to always summon the same kind of guardians. And yet there are cases where heredity has no influence, such as the Stone family which hadn't produced a wizard for ten generations. Some have identified traits that 'must' be strong in the potential mage, and yet sometimes a guardian will appear to one who needs to develop such a trait to be a good magic user.

As it is late March, the time has come to initiate a new group of Pokemon mages. You are one of these young students of magic who has passed all the initial tests to be invited to the summoning ceremony. This year, it's being conducted by Professor Birch of Littleroot Town, a wizard who is well known for his studies into magic, technology, and Pokemon. From there, you can seek out an apprenticeship to one of the great wizards of the region (many in the Pokemon League) or strike out and learn on your own by following the League's mage challenge. You might even become the next Magic Champion of Hoenn if you do well enough.

This is an exciting time for you... and yet, there are strange omens going on all throughout Hoenn. In the past year, strange black flames can be seen on top of Sky Tower. While those flames burn, the spirits of Mount Pyre are restless, even dangerous. In the past few months, the waters of the eastern island chain have been rough with storms, while the rains have slowed around Route 119 and Fortree. Perhaps more worrisome, the shrine of Groudon near Lavaridge has seen unusually heavy rains while the shrine of Kyogre near Dewford has been experiencing a drought. No one is certain what is going on.

Are you going to try helping the lands by investigating these omens? Or will you seek out your own glory, perhaps even through forbidden means? It is all up to you.

Common Knowledge and News

These are some general things that most everyone in Hoenn will know. If a question gets asked or an idea posted that I think qualifies, I'll add a copy of it and the answer to this list.

The current Magic Champion of Hoenn is Steven Stone with his Metagross guardian. The current Trainer Champion of Hoenn is May Birch, the daughter of Professor Birch; she's not a mage or wizard, but is respected for her skills all the same.

A couple of days after the guardian summoning ceremony, a new Gym Leader named Norman will be inducted into the League at his Gym in Petalburg. Part of this includes a battle between the current Magic Champion and the new Leader (so it will be partly a battle demo). However, it's rumored that the new Leader won't be accepting low-level challengers for some time.

There is a group in Hoenn that claims that the current hierarchy of wizards and the Pokemon Leagues is a conspiracy to keep power within a chosen few, but many believe them to be grasping at straws. It is unknown where the group operates out of; in fact, much about them is uncertain.

There's a local legend about the lake on Route 120, that if you go to the island cave on a new or full moon, you might end up in a nightmarish dungeon run by a cruel ghost and will die if you don't escape by dawn. The truth of this is uncertain, as contradictory reports exist about what's really there.

To a question about technology and clothing: The technology level is modern-day. Well, modern for the Pokemon world, since they have stuff we don't. Some technologies do work with magic; the explanation for the generation of electrical power has a magical source, but that's a little too specific to put into the sign-up thread. So you could go jeans and t-shirt for your character. There are occasions that use robes, but they're primarily for formal and religious ceremonies. Like, you'd see Birch in robes for the summoning ceremony, but other than that he'd dress normally.

To a question about non-evolving guardians: Guardians that don't evolve might stall in growth until its partner develops. Like stopping around level 20 or something. There are also cases of guardians not evolving if their partner refuses to change too.

To a question about wands: As for wands and staves, they can be used if the person wants, but most of the mages and wizards I use don't. There's a lot of flexibility for personal style.

Magic

Some of the finer details of Pokemon magic will come out through gameplay itself as your characters learn, but here's a quick tutorial about it.

Terms

Guardian: A special Pokemon that partners with a human in order to enable better use of magic. Guardians cannot be kept in Pokeballs, but they can turn into a fairy-like ball of light if they need to follow their partner somewhere unusual (such as a Fire guardian when its partner uses Dive). Guardians cannot survive without their partner. Sometimes believed to be angels, their true origins are unknown.

Mage: A student of magic. Typically, a mage starts between the ages of 10 and 15, but there are cases of younger and older people acquiring a guardian. Not everyone has the potential to become a mage.

Wizard: A user of magic who has graduated from being a mage. There are several ways to do this. A mage that has apprenticed will be tested by his or her master after several years, while a traveling mage can ask for testing from several wizards. Also, if a mage manages to become Magic Champion, they are immediately recognized as a wizard.

Master: A magic user recognized as highly knowledgeable and skilled in magic, usually within a particular type. All members of the Pokemon League (save for the Champion) are required to be masters so they can tailor their challenges to the challenger's skill level and defend their hometown.

Champion: A Pokemon Trainer that has passed the entire Pokemon League challenge (defeat eight Gyms, then defeat the Elite 4 and current Champion in five consecutive battles). There are two, the Magic Champion who fights alongside his/her Pokemon and the Trainer Champion who guides his/her Pokemon in battle. Both are recognized as skilled Trainers with excellent Pokemon, but the Magic Champion is required to have a guardian.

Magician: A person who uses magic without the aide of a guardian Pokemon. It is possible, but very limited. Crafting potions and charms are common trades of a magician, although technology in the past century has allowed many people to live well without using magic.

Aura: The energy for magic, it is produced by emotions, formed by intelligence, and controlled by willpower. Pokemon can manipulate aura naturally, but humans require a guardian Pokemon to truly use it. However, humans have the advantage of not being constrained by type and natural limitations.

Types: There are the 17 traditional types of Pokemon that affect auras and therefore magic. There is also a demonic type, which is not taught and often forbidden. The only 'normal' way to access a demon-type spell is through the randomizing spells, such as Arcane Power if the Devil card is selected.

Rune: A system of symbols which describe spells and magic use. Unown text is considered a runic alphabet, but it is not the only one.

Deity/god: This is in the sense of nature spirits, such as is common in older cultures of Japan, China, and Greece. There are a certain number of immortal Pokemon gods, such as Rayquaza and other legendary Pokemon, which have their own roles and duties in the world. They are immensely powerful, but not omniscient or omnipotent. Since this takes place in Hoenn, Hoenn legendaries are most prominent.

Patron Deity: Many people choose a particular legendary Pokemon to pray to. There are often philosophies and religious sects connected to these legends. While this isn't necessary for the game, it can be used to help develop your character.

Elf: Elves are a mysterious sentient race that are naturally magical. They run the Pokecenters and hospitals, as they are known as exceptional healers. Their private lives and homes are virtually unknown, but any that is on duty will respond to the name 'Joy' and be kind and polite. If a mage or wizard earns the favor of the elves, they might be taught a healing spell as a reward.

Spell method

In order to cast magic, the user must focus their mind so they can sense aura. This may take a little time for a new mage, but skilled users can do this as a seemingly natural reflex. Once the caster is focused, s/he forms aura into the spell in his/her mind, most often in the form of runes. Then the spell is activated, through the method the caster feels more comfortable with. This could be hand motions or a spoken phrase.

For gameplay purposes, you may simply use the activation motion/word to use a spell. An example would be Cut: it could be done by snipping a pair of fingers like scissors or a phrase like 'slice that (object)'. Just keep in mind the need for focus; a distraction can (and will) be an obstacle for your character to pass.

A mage character will most easily learn spells that his/her guardian learns naturally or are of the guardian's type. For instance, if the guardian is a Torchic, the Scratch and Ember spells will be really easy while Psywave and Sludge would require some effort. The toughest spells to learn would be those the guardian is weak to or cannot do much damage to. The mage with a Torchic would have difficulty learning Water Gun and Rock Tomb, but could conceivably do so.

Guardians are capable of evolving like their normal kin, but their requirements are different. Because they are so deeply connected to their partner, a guardian can only evolve if their partner has grown in some manner, such as conquering a fear, overcoming a personal flaw, or experiencing a personal change. This is why mages are normally found in that particular age range, since their developing maturity is mirrored by their developing guardian.

Guardians and their partners share a deep bond of empathy. What affects one will affect the other, such as mood and illness. This includes injury and is often a big challenge to young mages and guardians. If one of the pair is knocked out, the other will be unable to concentrate and may be disoriented. The guardian of the pair is known to get defensive and even hostile if their partner is badly hurt. Death is devastating and in most cases, death of one will be soon followed by death of the other.

Special skills are easily translated into spells, so what about physical moves? That can be up to your interpretation, but one way to do it is to have an image to a Pokemon that can use that move appear briefly to use it.

Battle method

For this game, we will conduct an abridged battle style.

When your character enters a battle, you will write a section of the battle. I will assess the quality and fairness of the section, then calculate the challenge level behind the scenes (practical things like type match-ups and experience of the opponent, as well as the written section) and decide the winner from that. If the calculations are close, I may do dice rolls.

You may simply say, “we spent time training and I focused on the Bide spell' to avoid writing boring grinding scenes. And if you want to write out a full battle scene, I'm fine with that too; let me know and I'll judge the battle after two or three posts.

Boss battles, such as Gym Leaders, major antagonists, and a rival PC if both of you so choose, will require multiple written sections to decide. Most likely one per opponent Pokemon, but we'll see on a case by case basis.

Some things that would detract from a win: not treating an opponent well by writing out-of-character, writing a certain win in a battle section, writing something that wouldn't work mechanically (like a Ghost move hitting a Normal typed Pokemon, or striking a Rhyhorn's horn with electricity).

Some things that would put my numbers in your favor: the battle seems of an appropriate challenge level based on writing quality, good in-character personality from your character, Pokemon, and opponent, or good description.

Magic battles with Pokemon have two normal win conditions. One is the usual way of defeating all the Pokemon that the Trainer has in their active battle team (inactive Pokemon cannot participate). The other is to use a battle field spell (not normally taught to mages until they've had some experience), which summons a concentration orb for each of the human participants. With that in place, a win can also be obtained by breaking the opponent's orb by attacking them, then defeating the Pokemon they have out. The human opponent will not be able to attack, call orders, or switch Pokemon if the orb is broken. This method will anger the opponent's guardian, so to keep in good relations with the opponent, an apology to the guardian should be made after the opponent recovers.

There are a few other battle styles available to magic users, including guardian duels, but these are less common.

Rules

1. You will need a human mage and a Pokemon guardian to sign-up in most cases. If you sign up without a guardian, you won't be able to acquire one through normal means in the game.

2. When you want to capture a Pokemon, tell me what your character is looking for and I'll decide how difficult it is to find and acquire. You'll need to add the new Pokemon to your team by editing it into your character sheet.

3. You may have up to six Pokemon on your active team. Except for the guardian; the guardian must be with your character at all times, making it possible to have seven Pokemon if the guardian is not actively battling.

4. We'll be sticking to Hoenn for this game, so please no travels out of the region!

5. PG-13 is the rating. Stick to it.

Additional References

Some of you who have been around for a while may recognize this plot and set-up. This is based on the plot of an older fanfic of mine. More importantly, this is a magic system that I have used in different fandoms as well as original works, if altered a bit to fit each world. I've been working with it loosely up to this point, but I want to do some play-testing and tightening up of the system. So please do ask questions and make comments on the magic system, as I'd like it to be well formed in my original works.

If you want to see the original fanfic and other sources of this magic system, I can send you a PM with links. Be warned that the stories that use it are really long. It's not necessary to read them and this game won't play out in the same fashion as the fanfic (as there will be more heroes).

Last edited by Ysavvryl; 6th February 2013 at 2:18 AM.

Pokedex OS- Still trying to capture every single Pokemon out there in words: 648/718 Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh complete!

Name:Age: a novice mage should be in the 10 to 15 year range, but an older character would be accepted if there's good reasons behind it. Other characters have no age limits.Rank: 'Novice Mage' will be one who gets their guardian summoned at the start of the game. 'Mage' or 'Wizard' will go for any who already have their guardian. 'Master' needs special permission. You can also run with a 'Magician' if you wish, simply omit the Guardian section.Goal: What your character plans to do at the start of the game, such as get an apprenticeship with a particular canon character or to become the League Champion
Description:

Personality: (remember that a guardian evolves with the mage)

History:

Spells Known: Keep this updated as much as you can. Novice mages will start with the moves your guardian knows, plus Detect Magic and Mail as those are taught at the summoning ceremony. Other magic users can start with more spells; when your SU is first accepted, I'll tell you how many spells I think would be appropriate for your character to know.

Guardian
Name:Species: Any non-legendary is fine. Novices should have first stage Pokemon if it can evolve.Ability:

Personality: “Two living as one, one living as two.” Guardians are summoned from their partner, so they will be similar to the human character. However, they might also represent a hidden part of their partner's personality.

Moves: Try to keep this updated with game developments. Assume your guardian arrives at level 5. On acceptance, I might give novices a few extras to start with, depending on how many the guardian knows naturally.

Pokemon

Name:Species: Any non-legendary; after all, those Pokemon are considered gods.Origin: Where, when, or how your character got this Pokemon. If it's an unusual Pokemon for Hoenn, there should be an acceptable reason for its presence.Ability:
Personality:

This is primarily for moves and spells that are unique to this setting, or those that gain additional effects. It will be added onto as the game progresses, when such spells are encountered.

Detect Magic: Normal type. It's exactly what it sounds like, a spell that can detect enchantments and other active magics. Mastery of this spell will identify the enchantment too. This spell is commonly used as one of the tests of magic potential.

Mail: Flying type. Mail can be used to send a letter to anyone the sender knows the name of. It can only be used for lightweight papers, can be intercepted, and can be blocked, so there is some risk of sending a message this way. However, it is one of the most commonly used spells, even by regular people, due to its convenience.

Surf: Water type. When used by humans, it allows the caster to stand or walk on water surfaces. Movement speed doesn't change and since exhaustion can lead to falling in and drowning, crossing with a swimming Pokemon is still preferred.

Teleport: Psychic type. The caster can teleport anywhere within range of sight. Skilled use will allow for teleportation through objects such as most walls, but the range remains the same. Most recommend learning this spell under someone who has mastered it as accidents can be quite painful.

Fly: Flying type. For humans, the caster can teleport to an outdoors landmark they remember. However, it must be of a range longer than Teleport. Maximum range depends on skill.

Sweet Scent: Grass type. Produces a soothing floral scent that calms those who breath it. Also encourages plant growth and productivity.
Arcane Power: Normal type. Similar to Secret Power and Hidden Power in that it can provide a variety of effects. Arcane Power users must know about the Tarot in order to use this spell, which randomly draws a card from one of the Tarot's three decks.
-The Tarot here consists of the Major and Minor arcanas, but also adds an 18 card deck with the aura types.

Devil's Hand: Demonic type. If a person only ever sees one demonic spell, it's most likely this one. Devil's Hand can be called on by accident through Arcane Power and Metronome. Its effect is to damage all participants in battle, including caster, for a quarter of their total health.

Last edited by Ysavvryl; 6th February 2013 at 3:51 PM.

Pokedex OS- Still trying to capture every single Pokemon out there in words: 648/718 Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh complete!

definitely going to reserve as a wizard, I can already tell you what I have planned for my character so while I'm working on it, I will go ahead and ask ysavvryl for permission to actually have less spells than would normally be on a standard wizard. I plan on having 3-5 spells pending on what pokemon I decide on as my guardian. Most likely going to settle on absol or flygon. Reason I'm asking for a low count of spells is that even though my character would be considered a wizard due to the professionality, my character has never really used it much. And just a point to ask about magic battles, the field spell method would translate into a pokemon with human battling alongside them battle?

Also, is this field acceptable for being an open position? Guardianship researcher (essentially researching how guardians affect a person as they progress, sort of like how the poketch had that heart meter stuff to see how close the pokemon was to the trainer.)

Another question to ask, will we be able to understand our guardians or will they speak like pokemon, aside from pokemon that are capable of telapathy?

I am going to reserve for this. Any questions I have will come in a bit.

Take a moment to consider just how nothing nothing really is....If you understand this, then you just solved the universe.

The truth that each person...each soul...is a book. And when we lay our feelings out in the open...and we give them no name...and we give them no author....and we give them no description.....who will actually read them..........?"

@Slipomatic. Okay, sounds like an interesting character. I have no problem with having a low number of spells if it fits what the character does. The guardianship researcher would work as a position more than a rank. But for that, I'd be okay with this researcher knowing Birch; s/he could have been invited to the summoning ceremony as a part of that work if you want that introduction.

As for understanding a guardian, they can be understood by their partner, but not by anyone else with normal means. It would be like twin telepathy, as the wizard and guardian can understand each other without really talking.

And magic battles will have the mage or wizard fighting alongside their Pokemon. The battle field spell is there to prevent collateral damage and keep the match from being deadly.

Pokedex OS- Still trying to capture every single Pokemon out there in words: 648/718 Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh complete!

Name: Timothy "Tim" WolfeAge: 15Rank: MageGoal: Right now, he wants to find a Wizard to apprentice under. His ultimate goal is to become a great wizard, and make his parents proud.

Appearance: Tim is noticeably shorter than most guys (and some girls) his age, standing at exactly 5'4". He is has an athletic build and is physically fit due to having lived in Fortree City most of his life, so he is accustomed to climbing trees on a daily basis to get anywhere; as well as living the life of a Trainer traveling and working out with his Pokemon. Because he is outside rather often, his skin is lightly tanned. Not pale, but not bronzed either. His has messy black hair on top of his head which goes to his eyebrows. He has big brown eyes, a small nose, and a round "Babyface", which give him a youthful appearance.

Tim dresses simply. Due to all the things that being a trainer entails, he doesn't want to have to fuss with his clothes, or worry about ruining them. His casual outfit usually consists of a T-shirt, shorts, and sneakers. His usual shirt is a simple dark blue and white striped T-shirt. He wears a pair of khaki cargo shorts on the bottom, and a pair of gray sneakers on his feet. He carries a blue back to carry all his essential items. Although he doesn't need it, he likes to use a long, sky blue wand with a dark blue orb on the top of it that he got from his mother. He says it helps him focus his aura.

Personality: Tim is a shy and quiet individual by nature. He was always this way, and being bullied as a kid didn't help. He gets nervous rather easily, and he actually suffers from stage fright. This has caused some problems he has to do stuff in front of an audience. He often talks more to his Pokemon, than to people. He really wants to be the brave, dashing, knight in shining armor type like the guys he's seen on TV, but it's harder than it looks.

Despite being shy, he is by no means antisocial. If you talk to him, you'll find he's quite friendly, polite, and kind to others. Often laughing and making jokes like any other kid. He is always happy to have to new friends, because his shyness makes it difficult to make them. He is very affectionate and loyal to those he likes. In conversations, he is usually more of a listener than a talker, and he has no problems being a sounding board when someone wants to vent (As long as they don't hurt him.) What pisses him off the most is when someone takes advantage of someone, either himself or others. Though quick to forgive, Tim is not one to be messed with when angered.

Tim is very careful and calculating. He always thinks before he speaks, and prefers not to wrecklessly jump into danger. It's made him a good strategist as far as Pokemon battles are concerned. This skill fails him when he gets nervous though.

Although he doesn't look like it, Tim has a big appetite, and likes eating. He also has the cooking skills to match, and has eaten the Pokeblocks he's made for his Pokemon more than once. (He doesn't get how eating a Dry Pokeblock can make anyone prettier, or a Bitter one can make you smarter. He's eaten them, and nothing has changed.)

History: Tim was born and raised in Fortree City Hoenn. His dad was a scientist at the nearby Weather Institute, and his mother is a magician. They weren't rich, but they did all they could to give their son a good life, and give him every advantage. For the most part, his life was normal. While he did well academically, Tim was often bullied because of his tendency to scare easy, and because he was clumsy. It made him an easy target.

Every kid he went to school with wanted to be a mage, but few of them ever actually had the potential. Tim's family didn't have any wizards in it, and he doubted he had the potential, but decided to try to take the tests anyway. Everyone's jaw dropped to the floor when it turned out he did indeed have the potential for magic. Tim was thrilled, and he hoped this would stop all the bullying. While he made a few friends, he was bullied even worse than before, which upset him.

His parents were very pleased when they found out their son had magic potential, and they expressed having high hopes for his success. When he turned 13, a few days before his summoning ceremony, his father gave him a special birthday present, a Pokemon egg. On the day of the Ceremony, his guardian turned out to be a female Castform named Gale. A few days later, his egg hatched into a male Castform he named Casty. Tim had a laugh at the unexpected coincidence, and his two cloud-like blobs have been close ever since.

Tim mostly taught himself the spells he knows. Learning them from books, and by observing his Castform, and how they controled the weather. He had some difficulty at first, but found himself getting the hang of it after getting into meditation, and learning to focus. He also traveled around the region, caught a few Pokemon, and basically just toured the region. At present, Tim is currently trying to find a Wizard to apprentice under. Books are nice, but he feels he could learn more from an actual person. Unfortunately, he gets nervous when he tries to approach them, fearing they'll reject him. His specialty is Weather magic, and he doesn't know any weather mages...

Personality: Gale is usually timid and quiet, much like her bonded mage. Underneath the shyness, she is kind hearted and caring to the other Pokemon and her mage, even Alice who doesn't seem to like for some reason. Emotionally unstable at times, she tends to be afraid of everything, even her own shadow. While at other times, such as when she or her friends are endangered, or when it's Hailing, goes into a rage that can make a Charizard cry.

Ability: Forecast

Attacks: Hail, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Weather Ball.

Pokemon

Name: CastySpecies: CastformPersonality: Essentially, Casty is a Pokemon version of Tim. Mainly in that he is very affectionate to others, and likes to eat. The only difference being that he is much less shy, and often be seen chatting up other people and Pokemon, as well as acting cute to charm others. He enjoys attention, and loves Pokemon Contests because he likes to put on a show. Although he knows better now, he still views Tim like a father, since he raised him since he was born. His feelings change with the weather.

History: Tim's first Pokemon, a gift from his father who he got due to his job as a scientist at the weather institute. When he first hatched, Tim was the first one he saw, and for a time, he believed the boy was his mother. He knows better now, but still views the boy like a parent. He has a thing for Gale, but she's blissfully unaware.

Ability: Forecast

Attacks: Weather Ball, Hail, Rain Dance, Sunny Day

Name: AliceSpecies: SnoruntPersonality: The only other female Pokemon on the team at the moment (Besides Gale.) Alice is a very social and outgoing Pokemon. She likes making friends with other Pokemon. She is also stubborn, and does not give up easily. In battles, she likes to Toy with her opponents before finishing them off. She fears becoming a female Glalie, and wants to become a Froslass as soon as possible. She's jealous of Gale, because Casty seems very interested in her. For this, she tends to lash out at her.

History: Tim noticed this Snorunt following him while on his travels. Tim thought it was a good idea to add her to his team, and try to catch her. In the battle that ensued, Alice purposely lost the battle, and allowed Tim to catch her. Why she was following him? She has a crush on Casty. Casty is clueless, but Tim noticed.

Ability: Ice Body

Attacks: Hail, Icy Wind, Headbutt, Double Team

Name: TadSpecies: LotadPersonality: Tad is a hyperactive, playful, and carefree Pokemon. He likes to have fun, and not get upset about things. He seems lazy, and is often oblivious to things going on around him. Despite this, he is far from being stupid, and he is actually a competent battler and performer when he puts his mind to it. He is often seen dancing to a rhythm no one else can hear.

History: Tim caught Tad early on his adventure, as he figured a Water type would be useful. There also happened to be Lotads everywhere. He just challenged the first one he encountered to a battle, weakened him, then threw the Pokeball. It was as easy as it sounds, because the wild Pokemon wasn't paying attention to what was going on, and by the time he realized it, he was already in the Pokeball.

Ability: Rain Dish

Attacks: Rain Dance, Bubblebeam, Mega Drain, Nature Power

Name: ArnieSpecies: GrowlithePersonality: Arnie is loyal and protective of his trainer and his friends, due to honor, not because he likes him or anything. He has a strong sense of right and wrong, and often goes out of his way to be a hero. Arnie is quite proud, and hates that he was captured by a human so easily. Still, at least he is glad it wasn't a mean human.

History: Tim encountered a wild Growlithe that growled at him as he walked past his territory. He found that odd, because he's never seen a wild Growlithe in Hoenn. Tim was willing to leave the pup alone, but Alice accepted the challenge for her trainer, and was determined to beat him despite the disadvantage, to impress Casty. As the battle went on, Alice was indeed losing. So Tim threw the Pokeball, and caught the Pokemon by pure luck, to end the battle, and spare his Pokemon further harm. He'd later find out that this Growlithe was released into the wild from the day-care shortly after he hatched from the egg.

@Andydemon: Sure thing. And feel free to ask me about anything, even for comments on character ideas.

@Monster Guy: Weather team! Well I can't think of any weather based wizards in Hoenn, although there's certainly those that take advantage of the moves. Also, his background will be fun as the plot involves corrupted weather patterns. Tim is accepted!

Pokedex OS- Still trying to capture every single Pokemon out there in words: 648/718 Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh complete!

Finished my sign-up. The moves highlighted in blue are moves that my pokemon does know, but does not use it at all, or very rarely.Fixed the issues you had while changing origin for skarmory as it changes it up. Also, as a side comment about introverts, I have yet to really find an outgoing person who was nerdy, including myself as I'm an introvert.

Human

Name: Ithero Despar

Age: 30

Rank: Wizard

Goal: Observe and document relationship between trainers with guardians and hopefully document a relationship with one that makes it to the championship or magic championship.

Description: Ithero isn’t a tall guy, standing around 5’7”. His hair is straight and short, with his bangs just above his eyebrows. His hair color is dyed a dark blue, but is naturally brown. He isn’t very athletic, due to spending most of his time in school. He normally wears black jeans, black sneakers, and a red T-shirt, but is often seen wearing his lab coat often. He has a fairly pale skin complexion and is easily susceptible to sunburns. He has dark, maroon eyes that appear to be cold and distant. Occasionally, he may be seen wearing a black robe with a flame pattern along the bottom as it his formal wear for things related to mages. He isn’t hairy much, leaving some people to think he shaves his arms and legs, though he doesn’t shave at all aside from his chin.

Personality: Ithero is a bit of an introvert person, preferring to keep to himself. He isn’t quite antisocial, but he does tend to be a bit awkward around other people. An exception to this problem is when he is in his “research” mode as he gets carried away in his research. He enjoys discussing his research with Professor Birch, but he isn’t quite comfortable discussing it with the other aides that help the professor out.

Ithero, once you get past his awkwardness, is friendly and polite. He enjoys intellectual conversations and discussing about guardians. He prefers to listen for the most part, but he will give his input in a conversation if need be. He is somewhat easy to anger if his research is insulted or Birch is insulted, usually resulting in a shouting match or a pokemon battle, magic battle if really angry.

He isn’t actually a fan of battling, but he doesn’t let people walk over him in a battle. Despite being a researcher at heart, he does have a good understanding of tactics and battlefield control. He tends to utilize surprise tactics in being that he has never gotten a badge. He also utilizes that known fact to give him an edge when challenged by another trainer. Ithero is weak when it comes to magic battles. Granted, he knows how to battle with his pokemon, he isn’t very good at protecting himself in battle.

History: Ithero was raised in Rustboro City in a small family. His father worked with Devon and didn’t have much time to raise Ithero. His mother was a dedicated mother and lived at home and raised him for the most part and sent him to school for his education. Ithero was a fairly quick student in school, easily surpassing older students. He struggled a bit in the battle department, but he passed those courses. He didn’t have an exciting childhood, simply burying himself in books and education, not making much time to make friends. Although his family wasn’t known for producing mages, when he took the initial tests, he was found to have potential. Although he could have started at around 11 years old, he wanted to wait a bit longer to finish trainer school.

When he was 13 years old, he was finally inducted in the summoning ceremony. When his ceremony was performed, his egg hatched into an skarmory which was at the time odd. Ithero was pretty happy with having a guardian that was considered rare as absols were naturally shy and avoided trainers. He continued schools while taking courses related to mages. Eventually he finished upper schooling and began training under Professor Birch at the age of 18, performing tasks for him and helping him with his research. While training under Birch, he was often given tasks to go around the Hoenn region to collect data.

At the age of 25, Birch decided to test him in his abilities as a mage and staged several tests for him to complete. While it was unusual for Ithero, he was in for a hard time as completing the tests which included a magic battle in which he failed several times before finally winning it. Over the past 5 years, Ithero has started beginning his own research while still helping Professor Birch out. He plans on striking out soon in researching the development of bonds between guardians and humans.

Spells Known: Illusive Copies (double team) – Ithero can create up to two other copies and have his copies act on his mind commands. This spell however, is draining and is hard to maintain for extended periods of time. This spell is casted by honing his mind to create illusions. The spell requires a decent amount of concentration and is easily broken.

Air Blade (razor wind) – Unlike how a pokemon is only capable of making one razor wind at a time, Ithero can create multiple razor winds, although multiple ones will do less damage than if it was just one, and cast them towards his opponent in a fairly straight shot. It is possible for him to have the blades arc towards his opponent. Ithero casts this spell by using a sharp object as his catalyst and slicing an arc motion towards the direction he wants to. It has a somewhat slow casting time and can be delayed if he repeats the motion in another direction or overlay it.

Dark Wave (Dark Pulse) – By focusing on negative thoughts, Ithero can create dark pulse by slamming his palm or weapon in hand and create a somewhat tall, but narrow, wave in the direction he’s facing. The damage dealt however, becomes less the further distance it travels. The distance travelled is affected by the dark thoughts so it can range from three feet to almost eight feet. The attack itself cones outward in roughly 30 degrees total. And alternative effect he can utilize is to create a small shockwave surrounding himself, but this is more draining and doesn’t deal as much damage.

Steel Blade (Iron Tail) – Although the name is misleading, by concentrating on making whatever weapon he’s holding steel type, it will temporary gain steel-like properties and be able to attack with it. On the negative side, depending on what is being held, it will gain weight and affect the ability to wield effectively, especially on larger objects. However, it could lead to an advantage if wielded correctly. It is casted by thinking of steel so it can be used for a short duration, but isn’t able to be casted again in a short time frame.

Orbs of Frost (Hidden Power – Ice) – Ithero can summon up to five orbs at one time and control the motions of the orbs. However, the orbs will break if hit by an attack. The orbs take on a pale blue color and have a snowflake pattern on it, making it painfully obvious what element it is. The orbs explode on contact if hurled at an opponent. However, it can be used for other purposes other than outright attack. Out of all the spells, this is the easiest to cast, simply relying on Ithero to focus on his inner self to create the orbs.

Other: Ithero has a black backpack with a white pokeball logo on the backpack. He carries a blunted katana made from a wing feather from Valor. Ithero also has a pokenav that has Professor Birch’s number.

Guardian

Name: Rizanel

Species: Absol ♂

Ability: Super Luck

Personality: Similar to Ithero, Rizanel is mostly an introvert and not very sociable, the exception being between him and Ithero. He is somewhat kinder than Ithero to pokemon and humans, but is much easier to anger than Ithero as all it takes is seeing pokemon abuse. Unlike Ithero, Rizanel is fond of battling and will take on a challenge. He is a bit shy outside of battles though, tending to hide behind Ithero if possible.

Origin: Ithero was actually ambushed by a small group of zangooses in route 114 which ended up with all his pokemon knocked out and him at the mercy of the zangooses. Before he was given the final blow, one zangoose, not part of the group that had ambushed him, defended him and managed to deter the group from inflicting further harm. Ithero found out later that this zangoose which defended him had been an outcast from the group that attacked him. He offered for the zangoose to join him as a way to thank her.

Ability: Immunity

Personality: Cula is very defensive about Ithero and his pokemon and will fight to the very last breath. She is very serious and tends to keep a watchful eye. You know you’re her friend, or at least trusted, when she offers her claw to you. She doesn’t say much nor does she cry out much when inflicted with pain, although enough pain will cause her to cry out.

Moves:
Slash
Quick Attack
Crush Claw
Taunt
Close Combat

Name: Valor

Species: Skarmory ♂

Origin: Ithero was given this egg from the school before his induction. Valor hatched on the day of summoning ceremony

Ability: Keen Eye

Personality: Valor is somewhat shy and tends to avoid other pokemon or people. It is very attached to Ithero, seeing him as his flock leader. He is somewhat brave at times and will try to intimidate others he feels is threatening to Ithero. Otherwise he’s pretty much meek and quiet. He tends to show his affection a bit too much by hugging Ithero with his wings, often resulting in some small cuts on Ithero. Valor has a slight crush on Rola, but is too shy to act on his feelings.

Moves:
Air Cutter
Spikes
Steel Wing
Slash
Night Slash

Name: Rola

Species: Flygon ♀

Origin: Ithero caught Rola as a trapinch when he travelled across the desert. Ithero originally didn’t want to catch a trapinch, but had to when the same trapinch prank him several times.

Ability: Levitate

Personality: Rola is quite mischievous and will act playful around others. She is by far the most social of the group and will get into trouble just to get attention. She will occasionally become sad and depressed when one of her pranks goes wrong and ends up with her being punished. She is very talkative and enjoys hugging others, regardless of whether they want it or not.

If I were to question who here would bring me out of semi-retirement of RPGs, you'd be one of a few. So pretty much Divine version 2 (or 3 or whatever). I'd like to reserve a spot, most likely a Mudkip connected mage. Also, did you see my vm I sent you a few days ago.

@Slipomatic: Now seeing what you were asking about, it is fine for the wizard to know spells that the guardian doesn't instead of having them as unused skills. Ithero is accepted, but I do need one thing changed. He should have been given the Skarmory egg in his History section, since the guardians aren't hatched from eggs.

@Agent Tectonic: Okay! Actually, I don't think of this as quite being Divine, since Divine had legendary partners and Mage has legendaries as totally off limits. Similar, though. And yeah, I got the VM, but I won't be updating that until later today.

As a general note... from what other character I've seen, it seems like we have a lot of introverted males, lol.

Pokedex OS- Still trying to capture every single Pokemon out there in words: 648/718 Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh complete!

Goal: To travel the world and meet new people and Pokemon, hoping to become a stronger person in the process.

Description: Lucas is about the height of an average ten year old. He has brown hair that goes an inch above his shoulders, large sky blue eyes and somewhat pale skin. For clothes Lucas usually wears a white t-shirt, black dress pants and black shoes. He tends to wear a long white coat that reaches down to his feet and a long white scarf regardless of weather conditions. For accessories, he wears a gold pendant with a photo of him and Eevee inside. He also wears a white beret-like hat (It looks like the hat Hanbei from Pokemon Conquest wears).

Personality: Lucas is the closest thing to an innocent child you'll probably ever see. He's never one to knowingly do wrong and he has a sense of justice. He's willing to stand up for whatever he believes in whenever he has to. Even though he's just a child, Lucas is very intelligent and mature for his age.

Lucas is a gentle person and loves making new friends. But he's also timid and has trouble talking to new people. When meeting someone for the first time he starts off nervous, but he opens up to kindhearted people quickly. Despite his shy nature, he hates being alone and likes being around others, especially those he considers his friends. He does however hate being the center of attention in large crowds. When someone is in danger, Lucas is willing to put himself in harms way to protect them even if he is afraid.

When it comes to Pokemon Lucas can befriend them almost instantly. He'll treat any Pokemon like he would any other person, if not more so. Lucas believes the bonds between him and his friends give him the strength needed to win battles. When battling, Lucas has a fair amount of confidence in himself and respects his opponents. He forms his strategies with hopes of having maximum effectiveness while avoiding unnecessary damage or risks to his own Pokemon.

History: Lucas was born in Petalburg City. His mother and father were both Mages and he was expected to become one as well. Lucas was often bullied for most of his childhood. Inept at making friends with people he instead opted to play with the wild Pokemon near his hometown. His only real friend at the time was the family Pokemon Eevee, who Lucas knew for as long as he could remember.

With an interest in learning, Lucas also took to reading books at a young age. His dream was to travel the world alongside Pokemon. Deciding that becoming a mage could help in this goal, Lucas took the initial test. Not only was he proven to have the potential, he was shown to be quite gifted with magic. Following his testing, Lucas had asked Eevee if he would like to come on the journey with him, to which Eevee agreed. With his dream of seeing the world on the horizon, Lucas eagerly awaited the day of his summoning ceremony.

Personality: Much like Lucas, Ryuka has a strong sense of justice and is willingly to protect others. As a child himself, Ryuka gets excited easily and can be playful at times. Despite this, he can be serious when he needs to be and is loyal to Lucas. What separates Ryuka's personality from Lucas is that he lacks the fears that Lucas has and will push Lucas to face those fears whenever he needs to.

Moves: Quick Attack, Foresight, Endure, Natural Gift

Pokemon

Species: Eevee

Origin: Eevee had been a part of Lucas' family since around the time Lucas was born. Lucas had asked Eevee if he would like to come with him on his journey after his testing, to which Eevee agreed.

Ability: Adaptability

Personality: Having grown up with Lucas, Eevee is very close friends with him. Eevee is very playful and can be mischievous at times, albeit mildly. He likes to play with Lucas' hat and will sometimes get on top of it while Lucas is still wearing it. Eevee tends to scare easy sometimes and in such cases will hide from whatever is scaring him. Whether he's afraid or not, Eevee is fiercely loyal to Lucas and while put himself in harms way to protect him.

@Lost Requiem: Sure. you came in at a good time, as I was considering closing new reserves after this weekend.

@Andydemon: Is there any particular thing(s) Lucas is afraid of? Or is he just a nervous kind of person? I'm mostly just curious. But what is needed is a name for the guardian. Part of the ceremony involves naming the guardian and there is no exception for this as the name is used for an oath. I'll call it pending for the issue of the name. Also, since he's a novice and the other characters so far have had a good spell base for their personalities... the Riolu and Lucas can also start with Natural Gift.

Pokedex OS- Still trying to capture every single Pokemon out there in words: 648/718 Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh complete!

He's just a nervous kind of person, I could never figure out anything he would be 'cower at sight' afraid of, I could have him be the kind of person that hesitates for a moment in a dangerous situation if it'll give a more notable fault he has to overcome.

Name: Marie Aeternam Age: 17Rank: MageGoal: Her main goal is to spread her religious cult’s message, and as well as become the apprentice of Pheobe.

Description: Marie is a full-grown, proper woman that has the body to go with it. She stands at around 5 ft 9”, making her pretty tall for a female. She has pale, on the border line of ashen, skin that is cleared of everything but religious tattoos. Her breast size is a C cup, the average of certain groups of woman, and she’s not afraid of men seeing part of them. She has long, flowing hair that goes down to her waist-line. The tips of her hair are large, wavy curls, and her entire hair seems to be one smooth, flowing wave. It also covers a large portion of the right-side of her face, only leaving the lower-cheek and her lips exposed on that side. The color of this hair is that of a dark violet, making her stand out to those who are far away. Under her hair, on her right eye, is the mark of the scion of her cult. It serves as part of the eye itself, and it is a proof of her heritage. The mark of the eye itself is that of a cross, but instead of forming a regular “t” shape, it has the markings of Giratina’s Wings instead.

For her clothing, she looks like a sort of gothic priestess. She wears a circlet that signifies the head of the cult, a silver circlet made to look like two of Giratina’s wings, and it is topped of by two hemlock flowers. The wings themselves are made from tarnished silver, and the red part of the claws is made out of rubies. On her neck, she wears a necklace made out of tarnished gold, attached to the end is the symbol of her cult, making it to the point of overkill by now signifying her importance in it. For her clothing, she wears an inner corset that shows of the upper-region of her chest, and the corset is an almost-see through lace one with skulls embroidered into the pattern. Covering her body, but showing part of her corset, is a long, flowing robe filled with ancient runes and the roman numerals XIII in gold print on the back. The robe itself is of a long purple and ebony mixing together in multiple different layers. Though, the robe is made out of material to withstand the elements and the heat, making it very comfortable and easy to wear. It goes down roughly to the side of her knees, and has a parting pattering on the bottom, starting at her belly-button. For her undergarments, she wears black, short-shorts to show her rebellious streak. They are ripped up on the bottom, and have two crosses intersecting on them, the crosses of course the insignia of her cult.

She wears a book belt, yes a book belt, around her waist. The belt is positioned in a diagonal battern so it balances on her upper left hip, and her lower right hip. The area to store her book is on her right hip, and is made out of miltank leather bound be ariados silk. Her belt is designed after the wings of the myraid butterfly Pokemon, and gives an optical illusion of them. The book itself is her spellbook, passed down many generations in her family, the Butterfly Whisper. This tome is of black velvet binding and covering, giving it the look of a dark night. It has blood spilled on it, showing the dangers of the book, and in the middle is a golden butterfly being trapped in Giratina’s Wings, showing her family’s history in the cult, and showing the significance of the butterfly to her family. Her voice, on an unrelated note, is a medium-low voice with thoughtfulness and distance often laced on it’s cryptic vocabulary, though it can be as sweet and soothing as honey, but beware that sweets cause cavities.

Personality: Marie is a very calm, distant person who is often lost in thought. She rarely answers people when they talk to her, as she is to busy in her own devices to take notice of them, and if she does respond it’s often in one word answers, or cryptic riddles that she wouldn’t care to decipher for them. Due to this, people often have a sense of loyalty, and fear, to her, for she has a dominating presence from her curt, short messages and silence.

For those who are higher than her, she is a very obedient person who tries to follow everything with perfection and with out fail, and sometimes no matter the cost. For these people who win her loyalty, they are in good hands, as she would seriously die for them. Though, she does know how to trick people, and deceit and illusion is her best advantage. If she detects lies and betrayal, she would be quick to execute you, and not always with death. This has given her a very efficient way of getting thins done, and has earned her the nickname “Night Butterfly.”

She is a very active advocate for her religious cult, and is the only time where she speaks loudly and a lot. She has a very deep passion in the dark dealings and rituals in her cult, and prays more often then anyone in it. She is known to hold festivals and ceremonies and rituals often, as if everything in worshipping her one, true god, Giratina, is etched very carefully into her head. She is also very quick in teaching people, both in the arts of worshipping her god, and other things as well. She is an analytic, as to say, but doesn’t use her skill often, as she prefers to think about thing instead of forming biases on them.

She is also obsessed with death and necromancy, something that doesn’t seem tru to her when you first meet her. She isn’t exactly a sadist, well, she is a sadist, but she isn’t a masochist or death seeker. She is more intrigued by death, and the many meanings it has. This is why people normally know her with the Tarot Card Death to her, as she often thinks as its meaning is. Due to this, she is very adept to change, unless it affects her on a personal level, where it is hard for her to let go of.

History: Marie was born in the Old Château in Eterna Forest, Sinnoh. There is where her bloodline has lived for generations, and the ghosts who have started to slowly live there have been helpin in keeping them hidden from the outside world. When ther mark on her eye was discovered, such as the last scion, her mother, was found, she was instantly nammed the next head in the family. Due to this, she spent a very secluded life learning to be the Pretress de la Mort, or the Priestess of death, and learn how to be the proper leader of the cult.

Due to this, she had lead her life as a very secluded child who was often in thought, and often thought about many things when she wasn’t worshipping her god. Nothing important really happened to Marie in her early days, as everything was a washboard rinse and repeat. She did slowly start to learn about magic as she got older, and she started to think about death and it’s many corridors.

When she was of age, her mother, her teacher and the current leader of the cult, performed the gardian ceremony for her, and she wasn’t surprised when her guardian was a Litwick, the reaper line and close servants of Giratina. Her mother wasn’t blessed in getting a Litwick, instead she gotten a Duskull, the next highest servant to their lord. When her mother saw that Marie had a Litwick, she started training Marie for special missions and orders, to carry out for the lord. Her guardian, now named Lumiere, and her quickly bonded, and have formed a sort of master and servant relationship, but to them it isn’t like that.

She spent the next seven years training to become who she was, and she has learned about many things about her cult, and tarot, though magic was rarely touched on, but Marie was able to learn some adcanced spells during the seven year period, when time allowed it. She also wasn’t taught how to battle, and was given a quick rundown before she was sent to Hoenn. Marie was sent to Hoenn for one reason, become Pheobe’s apprentice. The strong mage, witch in some circles, who had excellent connections with ghosts, and a very close friend to her Mother. Now Marie is in Littleroot town, given permission to supervise the guardian ceremony that was about to take place, and spread the word about her lord.

Spells Known: Marie knows a total of 8 Spells, 4 from Lumiere, Detect Magic, Mail, and two learned from her mother. Each Spell is performed differently then normal, due to her tome’s power

Reaper’s Art “What’s yours is mine” (Pain Split): Marie summons two scythes, and they go towards her and her opponent. Depending on the conditions, these scythes can hurt or heal, and their main purpose is to heal

Reaper’s Art “Messanger”: This is the mail spell, but is sent with a Duskull so that it has a higher chance of making it to its rightful receiver

Reaper’s Art “Arcana Draw”: This is Arcane Shift. Marie spent many years learning about Tarot, so she has pretty good knowledge on all of them. This functions similar to Arcane power, but different at the same time. While the two spells have many similarities, they do have a distinction, the Minor Arcana. Arcana Draw is a more powerful version of the two Decks it applies to, Types and Major Arcana, but it takes out the largest Deck, Minor, leaving it weaker in terms of variety.

Reaper’s Art “Hex Detecter”: This is Detect Magic, though a little advanced, as it can also show the user who last cast the magic, if it has been casted recently
Reaper’s Art “Lunar Eclipse” (Night Shade): The Moon makes a sudden appearance, and it’s shadow is cast on the opponent, creating damage. It does damage equal to Lumiere’s level.

Reaper’s Art “Guiding Light”(Will-o-Wisp): This is Marie’s most versatile spell, as it allows her to cause burns, create shields, and make lighting when needed.

Reaper’s Art “Candle Explosion” (Flame Burst): Marie summons a candle, and can place in anywhere,or even throw it. When she snaps her fingers, it snaps into her flames

Reaper’s Art “Soul Inferno” (Inferno): Marie was quickly taught this spell by her Mother, so it leaves her greatly out of energy, and she has a very low chance in actually hitting someone with it. Though, when it does hit, it burns up the opponent’s soul, and has them engulfed in the towering inferno. It will leave the opponent burned, and at times, Marie herself.

Guardian

Name: Lumiere Species: LitwickAbility: Flame Body

Personality: Lumiere is very much like Marie, often in thought and thinking. He is very passionate about worshipping his master, Giratina, and often praises him along with Marie. He also will do any order Marie tells him to do, and on an unrelated note, anything Marie’s mother, or her Dusknoir, commands him to do. He is good at teaching things, but not as much as Marie.

Though, he also has Marie’s hidden insanity. At times her can go completely insane, and all he cares about is death, and not it’s multiple meanings, actual death. When he gets like this, only Marie is able to snap him out of it, but she also risks awakening her insanity that is locked up inside of her.

Moves: (Is it Okay if I have him at 20?)
Pain Split (Was tutored this by Marie’s Mother’s Dusknoir Guardian)
Night Shade
Will-o-Wisp
Flame Burst

Pokemon

Name: NoirSpecies: DuskullOrigin: Marie’s Duskull was actually a starting gift to her from Pheobe. The egg was sent to her when she got off the boat in littleroot town, and quickly hatched afterwards. He often is in Marie’s arms Ability: Levitate

Personality: Noir is a very mischievous Duskull, often liking to play pranks and other harmless tricks on people. Though, he still is a baby and is completely dependant on Marie and Lumiere to take care of him.

Moves:
Night Shade
Leer

Name: LisSpecies: LilligantOrigin: Lis is Marie’s personal maid, and has been tending to Marie her entire life. She was granted permission to follow Marie to Hoenn, to make sure she was well taken care ofAbility: Own Tempo

Personality: Lis is a very caring, thoughful pokemon. She often makes Marie tea from natural sources, and likes to take a book and read, well, pokemon books, when she has the time. Though when she has to, she is able defend Marie, herself, and anyone else with her life.

At this point, I'm not accepting any more reserves unless someone decides to drop out. This should be a manageable number.

@Lost Requiem: Goth princess leader of a cult, huh? This fits right in, actually, lol. Shadow tag is a bit much, so go with Flame Body. Given that marie's in training to take over a sect like that, 8 spells looks acceptable. However, I'd like a bit more explanation about Arcana Draw/Shift spell, about what it does. There is the Arcane Power spell currently on the list, but that's a Metronome-type spell connected to the Tarot. It's pending that explanation.

Also, 20 sounds like a reasonable level for Lumiere, given the history.

Pokedex OS- Still trying to capture every single Pokemon out there in words: 648/718 Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh complete!